Chapter 1
[First Person Pov]
I woke up feeling groggy and disoriented. As I started to regain my senses and reasoning, I looked around the room and quickly realized I didn't know where I was. I was just sitting in front of a desk with a pile of books.
"This isn't my room. Where the hell am I?" I muttered to myself before getting a frightened look.
"That wasn't my voice either," I said shakily, wrapping my hands around my neck.
"And am I speaking Japanese?!?!"
Before I could devolve into panic, the sound of a bell resounded inside my mind.
A blue loading screen appeared in my vision, which took me completely by surprise.
[Initiating The Ultimate Random Gacha System…]
I heard a robotic female voice say before the percentage kept going up,
[...10% completion]
[20% completion]
Over and over, the voice said as the numbers kept going up.
[90%, 95%, 99%... 100%]
[Congratulations, Host, upon being selected to be a part of the Ultimate Gacha experience.]
I felt my breathing quicken as I covered my face with my hands. I knew what this meant, and I wanted to try and deny it, but I knew what it meant. In an unknown room, with a voice that's not my own, and this thing in front of me... 'I've been thrown into somebody else's body, haven't I?' I thought, trying to stop the panic attack that was slowly building up.
[Initiating protocol 0000000.1 of the system due to the Host's mental state.]
I suddenly felt my feelings and emotions being forcefully suppressed, causing me to think logically and rationally.
'Just what are you?' I couldn't help but think.
[I am an AI that is solely built for the purpose of helping the Host with any inquiries they acquire and managing the system.]
'I see, so it knows what I'm thinking… that's concerning.'
[You have nothing to fear, Host. Like previously stated, my sole purpose is to be of service to you in any way, shape, or form.]
I didn't say anything else but still kept my guard up. 'What's the protocol you just used?'
[It suppresses the Host's emotions and helps you think rationally until they are able to control themselves. Be aware this is only usable for the tutorials of the system; afterwards, it wouldn't be available for the host to use.]
'I see. Bummer. I could see how this would be helpful… Does this system have a main menu or something?'
[Certainly, would you like to view it now?]
I nodded my head, and the image on the blue screen changed.
...
[1. Status]
[2. Inventory]
[3. Quest]
[4. Gatcha]
...
I studied the system for a bit. 'Open my Status window.'
...
Status window:
[Name: Futarou Uesugi]
[Age: 15]
[Level: 1]
[Exp: 0/100]
[HP: 700/700]
[MP: 1,500/1,500]
[Strength: 9]
[Vitality: 7]
[Agility: 9]
[Intelligence: 13]
[Senses: 9]
[SP: 0]
[Gacha Tickets: 0]
[Abilities: Hypercognition, Summoning]
[Summoning contracts: N/A]
[Skills: N/A]
...
I stared at the name for a bit. "That is definitely not my name. I'm most definitely not 15… but wait, why does that name sound familiar?" I couldn't help but mutter. After all, my real name has been Tristan, and I was 18 years old.
I just shook my head and started focusing on the other information in my status screen. 'So it's a level-based system as well. That's good, I suppose. How are the HP and MP calculated?'
[HP: Vitality *100]
[MP: Intelligence *100]
'I see, so that's why they're so high… As for my stats, Strength, Agility, and Intelligence, I can already assume what they mean if they're the same as the stories and games. Can you give me a description of Vitality and Senses just to be sure?' I communicated with the system.
[Vitality: The measure of the Host's endurance, fortitude, and overall health. Determines resilience against damage, ability to endure prolonged battles, and speed of recovery from injuries.]
[Senses: Heightened perception and acute awareness of the environment, allowing for keen observation, quick reactions, and intuitive understanding of surroundings.]
'I expected that was the case. Now onto the thing that's got most of my attention, the abilities. Give me a description for Hypercognition and Summoning, and why do I have them?'
[Hypercognition: The ability to process and analyze information at an accelerated rate, enabling enhanced problem-solving, strategic thinking, and intellectual feats.]
'Oh?' I thought, impressed with it. After all, it could have been worse.
[Summoning: Mastery over the arcane art of beckoning beings or manifestations from distant realms to serve the summoner's will, whether in battle, exploration, or other endeavors.]
"But why do I have these abilities? They don't even correlate with one another. Is it because I'm in another body? Is one ability for the body I possess and the other because of me?"
[That is correct, host. To learn more about your situation, please head over to the inventory section.]
I was still a bit confused about some things, but I decided to proceed and do as it said. I called for the inventory to open, and it revealed just a singular item: a gift box.
'Ah, the good old classic starter pack, I see,' I thought as I mentally clicked it.
It opened up, presenting all of the items inside.
[Congratulations, you have received: 10 Bronze Gacha Tickets]
[Congratulations, you have received: 1 Silver Gacha Ticket]
[Congratulations, you have received: A skill book (F)]
[Congratulations, you have received: Iron Sword (Common)]
[Congratulations, you have received: Futarou Uesugi Memory Orb]
'I see, so the answers to most of my questions are in the orb…'
I mentally clicked on the image of the white orb inside the inventory. The white orb appeared in my hands, and I instinctively knew to crush the orb in my hands.
As I did, memories started passing through my brain. At first, they were difficult to process, and my brain would have shut down if it weren't for my new innate ability, 'Hypercognition.'
My eyes rolled to the back of my head as everything started passing like a movie…